Hispanics and African-Americans rarely get superior healthcare compared to white Americans, but a new report finds one exception: primary-care physicians may be more willing to query minorities about their alcohol use than to counsel white patients, Newswise reported Feb. 22.

A study of more than 15,000 people found that African-Americans were 1.83 times more likely to be counseled about alcohol use by their doctor than whites, while Hispanics were 2.17 times more likely to receive alcohol counseling.

The problem, however, is that African-Americans, in particular, are less likely to be binge drinkers than whites, according to study author Kenneth Mukamal, M.D., an associate professor at Harvard Medical School and an internist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston.

Also, he said, the disparity in counseling could lead to overreporting of alcohol-use rates among blacks and Hispanics. "This will lead to perpetuation of stereotypes," said Mukamal.

"Everyone visiting the doctor should have this conversation, especially those with chronic conditions, regardless of their race or ethnicity," said Luisa N. Borrell, Ph.D., assistant professor of epidemiology at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health. "In contrast, it is interesting that the study also reports that there was no racial or ethnic difference in receiving diet counseling when the prevalence of overweight or obesity is higher among minorities."

The study was published in the March 2007 issue of the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research.